COLUMBUS, Ind. – Weak demand for commercial vehicles persisted into August, according to the latest report from ACT Research. ACT’s State of the Industry report covers Class 5 through 8 vehicles for the North American market.

“Class 8 orders are likely to continue in hand-to-mouth fashion until there is better clarity about the domestic fiscal policy,” said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analyst at ACT. “That means that orders will remain soft at least through October, leaving little opportunity for a production rebound into early 2013.”

However, Vieth noted that since “underlying fundamentals are healthy” in the market, he expects national confidence in the US to improve once the future becomes more clear, setting the stage for a rebound in commercial vehicle demand.